Name: Heather Kennedy (she/her)
Age: 26
Job title: National account manager
Company & location: Nestlé, Crawley
Education: International Business with Marketing at University of Strathclyde
What is your role in your company’s pride network? I lead on external partnerships, bringing our Pride network together with charities and organisations to create meaningful collaborations that deliver shared impact.
The external partnerships team I lead partnered with Stonewall Housing, the UK’s leading charity supporting LGBT+ people experiencing homelessness or living in unsafe environments. Stonewall Housing stood out to us because they support everyone who identifies as LGBT+: trans people, older people, people of colour… this was a non-negotiable for us. This is the first time a Nestlé UK&I colleague network has ever launched a partnership with a charity. This partnership is so important to me because it’s about standing alongside a community we are part of.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to work for MI5 – but I’m far too chatty to be a good spy, so account management was probably always my destiny.
“York Pride with Nestlé was the first Pride event I went to. Before that I hadn’t been out at work, so it was a big moment for me”
Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I’ve always worked in food & drink throughout university, in clubs and restaurants, so Nestlé felt like a natural next step when applying for graduate roles/roles after university. It really appealed because it’s global, and I’ve always wanted a career that could take me around the world. Both my parents travelled a lot for work, and it always looked like such an exciting lifestyle.
Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): I’m an account manager – so that means I connect the dots between retailers, brands and supply teams to make sure everything runs smoothly, taking our products from factory to shelf, into people’s homes. Lots of people don’t know we’re in 95% of UK households. It’s a mix of relationship-building, problem-solving, and a lot of emails (and coffee).
How does your workplace celebrate LGBT+ Pride month? We do a huge amount throughout Pride month. We take part in Pride events across locations like Dublin, York and Crawley, and we bring in partners like Stonewall Housing to educate colleagues through open, virtual sessions. We organise fundraising and volunteering initiatives and create Pride packs for our factory teams. We also promote safe spaces for open conversations – not just in June, but year-round, with Pride as a moment to really amplify that.
Does your company provide support to LGBT+ employees in terms of policies and resources? I think our network is a great example of how Nestlé invests resource into LGBT+ employees – it gives us a great voice and platform through the organisation, and also, personally, being on the steerco has helped me to develop some great leadership skills.
We’ve also got policies to support all colleagues, and our networks play a really proactive role in shaping these – a trans inclusion policy, and a parental support policy which is gender-neutral and covers different types of family leave. We have a policy against discrimination, harassment and violence too.
What does a typical day look like for you? No two days are the same, which is what I love. Mornings usually start with emails, then I might be in meetings with retailers, brand or category teams. Alongside that, I’m involved in Pride network meetings with sponsors and steering groups and leading my external partnerships team, making sure we’re delivering value.
Tell us how you went about applying for your job: I moved into this role after graduating from our academy (graduate scheme). I’d spent time working in York, mainly in confectionery, but I wanted a new challenge in a different category and to relocate further south. When this role came up, it felt like the perfect fit – new category, new channel, new location. Nestlé encourages us to be proactive, so I reached out to the hiring manager, we had a great chat and the rest is history!
How do you personally celebrate Pride? I’ve often celebrated Pride through work – York Pride with Nestlé was actually the first Pride event I went to. Before that I hadn’t been out at work, so it was a big moment for me. Now I celebrate with colleagues, friends and my partner. I also volunteer with Stonewall Housing throughout the year, not just during Pride month, and I started the movie night initiative at work to bring people together during Pride month with a focus on learnings and discussion.
Who is a Pride role model for you? I’m inspired by anyone who feels able to be out and authentic, particularly in the workplace. Visibility matters, and seeing people show up as themselves every day is incredibly powerful.
What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? The variety. There are so many different roles, categories and opportunities to learn – you’re constantly developing and seeing new parts of the business.
And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? People don’t realise how complex it is behind the scenes. There are so many moving parts and specialist roles involved in getting a product from idea to shelf to people’s homes – it’s far more intricate than most people expect.
People also don’t realise just how much goes on in the UK for those products – the local dairy and wheat farmers, for instance, who supply the ingredients for iconic brands like Kit Kat and Shredded Wheat, which are all then manufactured (and eaten!) in the UK.
What advice would you give to young queer people in the food & drink industry? Be yourself – the industry thrives on diversity of thought and perspective. Get involved in networks, find your people, and don’t be afraid to put yourself forward. There’s so much opportunity if you back yourself.
What’s your ultimate career dream? To build a global career that allows me to travel and experience different cultures, ideally in Asia. I’ve studied in China and have family in the Philippines, so it’s a region I feel really connected to.
One of the inspiring things about Nestlé is seeing how many leaders have built diverse, international careers, so I’m aiming high: CEO of our Asia business.
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